Should You Donate Your Points and Miles to Charity?Elon Musk is hoping his ethically dubious generative AI tool , Grok, will help stem the continuing exodus from his social media site X. Musk has launched a free version of the AI chatbot Grok to X users without Premium accounts. Digital market intelligence company Similarweb estimates that the number of daily active users on X has dropped from 32.3 million to 29.6 million , an 8.4% decrease, since early October in the U.S. The exodus coincides with Musk’s takeover of the @America handle on Oct. 6 , in order to promote Donald Trump’s presidential run. The social media company has become a cesspool of right-wing hate and misinformation since Musk acquired it in October 2022 for $44 billion. It has shed around 80% of its value since Musk took over, and has continued to bleed users ever since . Numerous news organizations and journalists fled the site in November , in anticipation of dubious changes to X’s terms of service. At the same time, other social media spaces like Meta’s Threads and Bluesky have seen millions of new users flood their apps, and Musk is clearly feeling the deficit. Grok, which was launched in late November , and only available to premium subscribers at the time, was seen as a way for X to boost its piddling subscription sales. The free version allows users to ask Grok up to 10 questions every two hours and get several image analysis and generations per day. You can not use the chatbot without an X account. But Grok has serious downsides. According to Wired , “ Grok is prone to hallucinations and bias , with the AI assistant blamed for spreading misinformation about the 2024 election.” It also deeply integrates into X and implements tons of data collection, especially as X users are opted in to sharing one’s data whether using the service or not. Musk not only needs to stop the bleeding of X users, he needs to inflate his number of Grok users to compete in the AI space with more established companies like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Meta’s AI assistant which boast hundreds of millions more users . To that end, Musk has allowed users to create and promulgate fake images on X using Grok , a violation of the company’s own rules against misinformation. Government spending on AI systems has increased greatly in recent years and Musk might also be feeling the need to create the appearance that his site and his generative AI are robust enough to be considered for government contracts. Contracts that he, as co-head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency agency, might have influence on . But while Musk crows about Donald Trump’s plan to let billionaires carve up the United States and "receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental [sic] approvals," he clearly has no plans to clean up the social media cesspool he’s created, and that’s the main problem. “There’s a lot of content being amplified that most reasonable people would question whether is worth amplifying,” Bruce Daisley, a former vice president of then-Twitter outside the U.S. market, told The Guardian . “If I went out to a Christmas market, and if in the corner of this Christmas market there was a group of racist protesters, I probably wouldn’t stay there.” Click here for Daily Kos’ Bluesky Starter Pack. Join us on Bluesky and @#$% Elon Musk!Miguel Tomley scores 28 to lead Weber State over Pepperdine 68-53 at Arizona Tip-OffWhy Amphastar Pharmaceuticals (AMPH) Is One of the Most Profitable Pharmaceutical Stocks Right Now?
Max George has had "a rough day" in hospital. The 36-year-old pop star - who is best known for being part of the boyband The Wanted alongside Siva Kaneswaran, Nathan Sykes, Jay McGuinness and the late Tom Parker - took to social media earlier this week to tell fans that he would need surgery over a sudden heart problem and shared another update with fans on Friday (13.12.24) evening. Speaking in a new video posted to Instagram, he said: ""I've had a bit of a rough day today. "My heart rate dropped this morning, which was a little bit scary. But everyone here's amazing and they managed to get it back up a little bit and get it stable again, which is great. "A lot of friends and family are asking why I'm not just going in and having anything done yet, but there's so many tests that need to be done before we do anything." "I just need to get through to next week and have all the tests done, then they'll know exactly what to do." The 'Glad You Came' hitmaker concluded his message by noting that he is determined to stay positive amid the ordeal. He said: "Obviously they'll be able to do something but it'll be better doing it with all the information they need. But year, it's s**** But still here and staying positive." In his initial post to Instagram, Max - who is currently dating former soap actress Maisie Smith - revealed that he will be spending Christmas in hospital. He wrote on Instagram: "Yesterday I felt really unwell and was taken in to hospital. Unfortunately after some tests they’ve found that I have some issues with my heart. "I have a lot more tests to determine the extent of the problems and what surgery I will need to get me back on my feet. "It’s gonna be a difficult few weeks / months... and Christmas in a hospital bed wasn’t exactly what I had planned! "But, as always, I’m surrounded with love and support from my wonderful partner Maisie, her family, my family and friends.. and I’m 100% in the best place. "Although this is a huge shock and no doubt a set back, it’s something I’ll take on with all I’ve got! I count myself very lucky that this was caught when it was. "Apologies if I bore you with updates in the coming weeks..I’ve probably got a month in a bed and there’s not THAT much to do!"Organizers of the Bank of America Chicago Distance Series Unveil New Event Logos CHICAGO , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will notify runners today of their selection status for the 2025 event. The race, which is the final event in the Bank of America Chicago Distance Series, continues to see unprecedented interest with more than 160,000 individuals applying for a chance to participate. Those who secure an entry into the race will join another record-breaking field with more than 53,000 participants expected to cross the finish line in Grant Park on Sunday, October 12, 2025 . Today's selection shows growing interest and participation in the Shamrock Shuffle 8K Run, Chicago 13.1 and Chicago Marathon, which together form the Bank of America Chicago Distance Series. In 2024, the events welcomed more than 81,000 finishers, with 2,700 completing all three Series events. As enthusiasm in the events builds, event organizers are excited to unveil a new look and feel for the third rendition of the Series. The new logos connect each event and celebrate the unique attributes that the local and global running communities associate with the popular road races. "Today we welcome a new field of participants to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and launch the next chapter of the Bank of America Chicago Distance Series," said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski . "When we started the Series in 2023, our goal was to celebrate the Chicago running community, from individuals discovering the sport for the first time to our longtime participants. We continue to be humbled by the running community's enthusiasm and embrace of the events and we're excited to launch a new look that celebrates Chicago , the spirit of each race and the achievement made possible through the dedication of thousands of runners." Individuals interested in participating in the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Distance Series are encouraged to register early, as all races are expected to sell out in 2025. Continue reading for more information about the events that make up the Chicago Distance Series. Bank of America Chicago Marathon The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place on Sunday, October 12, 2025 . Runners who receive an entry through today's drawing will join those who guaranteed their entry into the race during the four-week application window. Guaranteed entries include Bank of America Chicago Marathon legacy finishers, time qualifiers, international tour group participants, charity runners, 2024 Bank of America Chicago Distance Series finishers and those who cancelled their 2024 race entries. Runners who did not receive an entry through the drawing can still sign up through the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Charity Program. Since 2002, the Charity Program has generated more than $322 million for local, national and global causes. The 2025 Charity Program includes 217 nonprofit organizations raising funds related to 10 cause categories: Advocacy, Animal Rights and Welfare, Education, Environment, First Responder and Military, Healthcare, Research, Social Service, Sports and Youth Development. Individuals who register to run with an official charity at this time are required to raise a minimum of $2,100 . For a list of official charities and information on how to register by joining a charity team, go to chicagomarathon.com/charity . For the latest event updates, registered participants and community members are encouraged to visit the Event FAQ which is available at chicagomarathon.com . Bank of America Chicago 13.1 The Bank of America Chicago 13.1 will take place on Sunday, June 1, 2025 . The fourth annual half marathon is set to welcome more than 9,000 finishers on a course that weaves through the historic parks and boulevards of the West Side, starting and finishing in Garfield Park. Following the race, participants and community members are encouraged to celebrate at the Race Day Festival, featuring a mix of entertainment, health and wellness activities and community activations including the West Wellness Walk, a 1.31-mile walk on Saturday, May 31 . Additional details about the 2025 event and registration information are available at chicago13point1.com . Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle The Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle will take place on Sunday, March 23, 2025 . This beloved Chicago tradition in its 44 th year is regarded as the official kickoff to the running season and a continuation of the city's St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The race is set to welcome more than 24,000 participants to a one-of-a-kind 8K Run (4.97 miles) through Chicago's Loop. Fitness enthusiasts looking for shorter distance events are encouraged to join The Mile event on Saturday, March 22 , or the 2-Mile Walk on Sunday. All three events will start and finish in Chicago's Grant Park . Additional details about the 2025 event and registration information are available at shamrockshuffle.com . For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts . Reporters May Contact: Alex Sawyer , Bank of America Chicago Marathon Phone: 1.312.992.6618 [email protected] Diane Wagner , Bank of America, Phone: 1.312.992.2370 [email protected] SOURCE Bank of America CorporationWeatherford Announces Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Conference CallLil Wayne, GloRilla, Camila Cabello to perform at College Football National Championship
Russia 'close to' deal with rebels to retain military bases in SyriaHoliday in the Plaza draws cheer on Lewiston’s Lisbon StreetSAN ANTONIO (AP) — Primo Spears' 31 points led UTSA over Houston Christian 78-71 on Saturday night. Spears had five assists for the Roadrunners (3-3). Raekwon Horton added 19 points while shooting 6 of 7 from the field and 7 for 7 from the line while he also had nine rebounds. Damari Monsanto finished 3 of 8 from 3-point range to finish with 11 points. Julian Mackey finished with 20 points for the Huskies (2-6). Bryson Dawkins added 16 points and two blocks for Houston Christian. Demari Williams also had 11 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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The first guest invited to ring the bell to open trading at the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 wasn’t a company executive, a politician or a well-known celebrity. It was a 10-year-old boy, Leonard Ross, who received the honor by winning a television quiz show. Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The list even includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Communities cower in fear after police stations closed while great Tory sell-off made millionsITV viewers issue same complaint just minutes into Holly Willoughby's new game show